


We protect the special ones

by greensparkle



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Protective Ace and Sabo, Running Away, bullying tw, dad shanks, mom Makino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 15:10:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14115051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greensparkle/pseuds/greensparkle
Summary: When Luffy gets picked on by a group of bullies that tell him that his dream is  nothing more than a fantasy. Luffy shuts down and runs away from home. And meets a group of piratesback home, Ace, Sabo find out that Luffy is gone. And along with Shanks and Makino and the mountain bandits try to find Luffy.Can they convince Luffy that his dream is not a fantasy?Can the straw hat Pirates and Luffy`s family back on Dawn Island convince him to come home?





	We protect the special ones

 

Life in Windmill Village`s forest was as loud as it came to the three kids that lived there. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo ran through the forest to get into town. Ace heard that the great red - haired Shanks was coming into town, so it made sense for Luffy to run on ahead of his two older brothers. He was excited he hadn’t seen Shanks for two years straight, so when he heard that he would be in town for the next few days from his older brother Ace Luffy had almost practically jumped out of the tree house and ran straight for town.

“Luffy,” Ace and Sabo called after their younger brother. “Wait for us idiot.”

Ace sighed he wondered sometimes if he would live to see his young, stupid little brother become the king of the Pirates like his father Gold D. Roger had been. {The only difference Ace would ever see between his old man and Luffy was that his little brother would be there for his future family instead of leaving then behind to sail the seas. Which was fine by him, Luffy would outshine his father for sure.} That or die from worrying so much about him. Though he was sure that there was no such thing as a form of death from worrying too much about your little brother getting into trouble, but one can never be too sure on that.

This could be said for Sabo as well.  He worried about that to. As the second brother to Luffy, although not as much as Ace did. Since there was no such thing as dying from worrying too much about someone you deeply cared about, Sabo didn’t have to worry about that. Although he did wonder sometimes giving the lifestyle the 3 of them going to live in the future and the life they lived now did seem to throw up that possibility every now and again. The two older brothers try their best not to think about it though. That was too much for two 10-year-olds to worry about.

Ace wondered how in the world they were going to catch up to Luffy. He was miles away from them and with their site. Ace and Sabo just hoped they would catch up to Luffy before a bunch of no good bullies did.

* * *

Picking on Luffy seemed to be every other kids in Windmill village favorite way to pass the time. Before Luffy met Ace and Sabo for as far back as the young Monkey D. Luffy could recall and way before he ate the devil fruit that made him into rubber he had been picked on by every single kid in the village and neighboring villages whenever boats came into dock in the East blue. He had been called a freak for so long. The thought of him having any friends seemed like a dream. Then he met Ace and Sabo and they became his best friends and family for life. Ace and Sabo had found out about Luffy being picked on from Makino after they saw a bunch of kids pickling on Luffy. They protected him from the evil kids and after the kids had fled from the scene they took Luffy to Makino so that he could get patched up. When they asked her why Luffy was being bullied by a bunch of older and younger kids.

She bent down to their level and quickly glanced over her shoulder thankfully, Luffy had fallen asleep at one of the bar tables. She said, “People pick on Luffy because he is different, because they fear his devil fruit powers. They call him a freak and make him feel like nothing. You have to promise me that you’ll protect him from those evil kids okay?”

Ace and Sabo agreed that they would no matter what protect their little brother from the bullies of windmill village. No matter what it took.

* * *

Maybe going on ahead of Ace and Sabo was a bad idea. But since when did Luffy ever think? He charged straight into danger all the time and never thought of a single plan. He always managed to get himself hurt with the way his mind worked.

 Luffy decided to wait for Ace and Sabo by the boat dock that way he could be able to see Shanks ship coming in to port. As he was waiting for red-haired Shanks pirate ship to arrive a group of boys and girls walked up to him. Luffy`s eyes widened in fear that was a group of kids that used to pick on him when he was still living in Windmill village. Since he was always alone and made him a good target for kids to pick on and push him around like a ball. If Luffy wasn`t scared for his life he was terrified now. He hoped Ace and Sabo would show up soon to protect him from these bullies.

“Well, well if it isn’t Little Rubber Man. What are you doing here did your friends abandon you?” The oldest boy snickered out viciously.

“No, they will be here any minute.” Luffy said hiding the fear his voice. He wouldn’t show fear to these other kids. He wouldn’t.

“Do you still dream being the Pirate King?” An older girl with Brown hair asked in the same tone as the boy did.

“Y-Ye-Yes.” Luffy stammered out in fear as the group of kids was coming closer to him. Two older boys were in the front of the group. Luffy suspected that they were the leaders of the kids that picked on him.

The two boys, the leaders came up so close to Luffy that he thought he was going to get punched in the face, instead the two leaders of the group grabbed Luffy by the shirt and made sure that he was staring directly at them.

 “Listen here you good for nothing brat your dream is more than a good for nothing fantasy. Weirdos like you don’t get to become the next King of the Pirates.” The two leader’s said, full rage coming out on their mouths.

Something broke inside Luffy just then, but he didn’t know what. Just then Ace and Sabo ran up.

“Leave him alone you big bruits!!” Ace and Sabo both yelled causing the bullies to drop Luffy on the ground with a hard thump and scatter like aunts.

“Luffy!” Ace  called out in panic, “Are you okay?” as he ran towards his little brother.

“Did they hurt you?” Sabo asked protectively as he and Ace got to where Luffy was.

“No, I’m okay.” Luffy said in a quiet voice.

Ace and Sabo crouched down to Luffy`s level to see if he was injured, but were relieved to see no injuries.

Sabo and Ace then pulled Luffy into a hug. Their little brother looked like he needed one. They decided not to push Luffy into answering the question of what the bullies had said to him, not in the state he was in now. Luffy needed love and affection right now, not yelling and shouting.

After a few minutes of hugging Luffy. The two older brothers pulled him to his feet just in time, Shanks`s ship was coming into port.

As Luffy was turning around to face the port he saw Shanks coming up his ship, “Shanks!” Luffy yelled happily as he ran up to meet him.

“Hey Luffy,” Shanks said happily as he swooped Luffy up in a tight hug. It was then that Luffy saw Shanks had a prosthetic arm he must’ve gone to some great inventor to get a replacement arm.

As Shanks put Luffy down saw the two boys staring at him with giant innocent smiles on their faces, if Shanks had to guess it was because Luffy was happy. The messy black haired boy Shanks instantly recognized as his past captains son. The blonde haired boy he didn’t recognize, but he figured he was an ex noble. Luffy saw the way Shanks was looking at Ace and Sabo and introduced him to them.

“Shanks, these are my two older brothers Ace and Sabo.”

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Shanks said expending his plastic hand out.

 The Two boys walked up to Shanks and shook his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Both of them said at the same time.

 

* * *

All in all, the day had gone quite well. The Three boys and Shanks hung out at Makino`s bar all day talking about what Shanks had missed out on while he was gone, as they were all chatting away. Ace and Sabo glanced at Luffy every so often they wondered what the bullies had said to him to make him look as miserable and broken as he did when they came to his aid, but now was not the time to ask or question Luffy. They figured they ask him about it tomorrow. Yeah, that’s what they do. And Shanks was here to, maybe they could get Luffy to open up about what happened with the bullies with Shanks help.

* * *

That night in the tree fort Luffy could not find sleep, what the bullies had said to him earlier kept replaying over and over and his head weirdos like you don’t get to become the next King of the Pirates. That got Luffy thinking what if those boys and girls were right? What if weirdos like him didn’t get to become the next King of the Pirates? What if his dream was nothing more than a fantasy waiting to happen and become reality?

When Luffy thought of it like that. And realized that he would never fulfil his promise to Shanks. He would never be able to give him back his straw hat when he became the king of the Pirates. Luffy got up and walked over to a desk he knew Ace and Sabo kept paper and writing quails in he pulled out the items along with a bottle of ink. He wrote a note to Ace, Sabo, Shanks, Makino, and the Dadan family. After he was done writing it he left his straw hat next to the note. Packed a bag of food and water and left the fort as quietly as he could.

He then used whenever resources he could find to make a small raft and paddles. He then moved the small wrath to the cliff at the edge of the forest and pushed it down into the water below. He grabbed his pack and jumped down onto the raft. Lucky for him the raft he made was able to float in one piece. He turned his head back to the forest and said, “Goodbye guys hope you’ll still follow your dreams and become Pirates, or even the king of the Pirates, or just plain Pirates like Shanks even though I couldn’t be one myself.” And a gentle breeze blew the raft out to sea.

* * *

The next day came too quickly for Luffy. He didn’t plan or an idea of where he was going. He figured he probably captured by Marines and be executed at a Marine base most likely than sailing to a nearby island. He had eaten all his food. And it was nearing lunch time he figured he would probably die of starvation if he didn`t find more food soon. He felt dizzy and lightheaded then ship with a sheep’s head was coming towards him. That was the last thing he saw before he blacked out had surrendered to unconsciousness.

Luffy could swear he was being moved and he could hear voices. He thought that maybe he was in the afterlife.

“What happened to him?” A female voice asked with concern in her voice.

“He probably passed out from hunger.” A deeper female voice answered the first female voice.

“What do we do with him big sis Robin?” A strong male voice asked.

“I vote we keep him until he gets better. Then we take him back to his home.” Said a childlike voice.

“I agree with you Chopper, but what if he’s in some kid of trouble?” Said a medium male voice.

“Then we keep him, until the trouble goes away.” A light deep male voice said.

“I still can’t believe a child is out here by himself.” Said a hollow male voice.

“Me either”. Said a thick bold male voice.

Luffy felt guilty about leaving the people he cared about back home, but he couldn`t go back just yet, for what those bullies had said was still chanting in this head. Maybe he could stay with these people for a while and then go back to the Gowa kingdom and back to Windmill village. His brothers were probably worried sick along with Shanks, Makino, Dadan, Dogra, Magra, and the rest of the mountain bandits.  

* * *

He was right about worrying the others back home. Ace And Sabo were in a panic they woke up that morning, found that Luffy was gone and were now searching the whole entire forest of Mount corvo looking for him. They had spent a good hour looking through the woods before regrouping back at the tree fort.

“Any luck?” Ace asked.

“No, I don’t get it where could Luffy have gone?” Sabo said with worry in his voice.

Ace shrugged helplessly he had no idea where Luffy could have gone. As he and Sabo entered the tree fort. He spotted something on their wooden dresser. It was Luffy`s hat.

He then feared the worst _until_ he saw what lay underneath the straw hat.

“Sabo, I found a note and it`s from Luffy.”

Sabo came to stand next Ace and they both read the letter,

To Ace Sabo, the mountain bandits, Shanks and Makino

I know for a fact that I will never become the king of the Pirates. It is just a fantasy, something that will never come true but before I do leave home forever I want you guys to know something.

you guys were my one true family and I will never forget that I hope one day when we cross paths once again I will be happy even though I will not be a pirate, or the king of them at all

I love you all Luffy

Ace Sabo could you do me a favor? Find one piece for me will ya? I think both of you will be better pirate Kings than me

Don’t forget about me okay?

Ace And Sabo were enraged they knew they should have talked to Luffy sooner. Deciding that they would need help tracking down Luffy they went to town to go find Shanks.  As they entered the bar they were surprised to see the mountain bandits were in there. But that did not matter. What matter now was finding Luffy before something bad happened.

 “Guys Luffy is gone.” Ace and Sabo yelled loudly catching everyone’s attention in the process.

“What!” everyone said together at once.

“We think the bullies that were picking on Luffy yesterday.” Ace started.

“May have said he was not worthy to be the next King of the Pirates.” Sabo finished.

Shanks and Makino along with mountain bandits came towards the boys.

“Okay, guys here’s what we’re going to do. Ace and Sabo, you 2 and Makino will come with me and search the seas for Luffy.”

“Dadan, you and the rest of the mountain bandits search this place and every place in the village and forest top to bottom in case Luffy is just hiding out here.” Shanks said.

“I hope Luffy is okay.” Dadan said. Dogra and Magra along with the rest of the mountain bandits nodded in agreement. Everyone there was worried about the safety of Luffy.

”Okay, everyone good luck.” Shanks said.

Everyone then split up the mountain bandits went to look everywhere that Luffy could possibly be hiding.

While Ace, Sabo and Makino boarded the red- haired Pirates’ ship with Shanks. They were determined to find Luffy and convince him to come home. If anything happened to him Ace and Sabo along with everyone else wouldn’t be able to forgive themselves.

 

* * *

When Luffy woke up again, he got a clearer look at his surroundings. He was in some kind of infirmary in what he assumed to be a pirate ship. Luffy remembered hearing voices. When he was slipping in and out of consciousness, so he thought that maybe he was on an actual pirate ship. Luffy was amazed he didn’t think he ever be on a different pirate ship other than Shank`s.

Then the infirmary door opened revealing a reindeer wearing a pink hat. Luffy thought that that was cool. He must be on one very unique pirate ship.

“Oh, good you’re awake, I’m Chopper the doctor on this ship. How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine.” Luffy answered shyly.

“Good,” Chopper said as he started walking towards the bed. “What‘s your name?”

“I’m Monkey D. Luffy.” Luffy answered in still shy voice.

“It’s nice to meet you Luffy.” Chopper said. He then did an examination on Luffy. He didn`t find or see anything wrong with Luffy other than the fact that he could be possibly hungry.

“Well you are looking much better than when we found you earlier.” Chopper said after he was done examining Luffy. “Would you like to come with me to meet the rest of the crew?”

Luffy`s eyes widened and nodded eagerly. With some Help from Chopper he exited the infirmary. Chopper then carried Luffy to the kitchen where the others were and placed him on a chair and turned him, so that he was facing the others. The whole crew had warm welcoming smiles on their faces. That made Luffy feel comfortable around them.

“Hi I’m Zoro the crew’s swordsman and Captain.”

“My name is Nami. I’m the ship’s navigator.”

“I am Sanji the ship’s cook.”

“Hi there little buddy, my name is Franky. I’m the ship’s engineer.”

 Hi die ho my name is Brook. I’m the ship’s musician.

“My name is Usopp and I am the ship’s sharp shooter.”

“Why hello there, I am Robin I’m the ship’s ideologist.”

Luffy smiled at all of them. He felt so safe and loved around all of them, but he still felt guilty about leaving his family back home. He didn’t want to think about right now. He thought that maybe if he stayed with them for a little while. He would muster up the courage and tell them why they found the way they did and together they all could figure out what the best course of action for him.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Luffy had disappeared from Dawn Island and nobody had any luck in tracking down Luffy. A massager bird came from the Dadan family the first week with a message saying that they had looked everywhere on the island and had no luck in finding Luffy. Which left everyone on the red-haired pirate ship {meaning Ace, Sabo, Makino and Shanks.] feeling more worried than ever.

Ace and Sabo felt more worried than anyone else on the ship. This wouldn’t have happened if they had just talked to Luffy sooner about what the bullies had said to him. They would have avoided this. Now, here they were searching a whole Entire Ocean for their stupid little brother worried sick about him.

Shanks and Makino were a different kind of worried for Luffy: to Makino Luffy was like a son to her. She had raised him since Garp had brought him to her. The same could be said for the mountain bandits, even though Dadan may not show it a lot Makino could obviously see that she, Dogra, Magra, and the rest of the mountain bandits cared about Luffy, Ace and Sabo a lot. She knew they would be devastated if anything bad happen to Luffy. Even Makino herself would be devastated if anything happened to poor, sweet, innocent, kindhearted Luffy.

Four Shanks Luffy was like a son to him. He carried about him and loved him like no offer. Since Monkey D Garp was in no role to be a father figure because of being a Marine. Shanks took it upon himself to make sure Luffy was bought up right, but since he wasn’t around he wasn’t around a lot Makino took the role of parental figure in Luffy`s life. But from the first time he met Luffy till now he tried to be the kind of father Luffy would want and never want to leave. Now here he was with Makino, Ace and Sabo searching the seas for him because of some no good bullies said that Luffy could become the next King of the Pirates Shanks had to agree with Ace and Sabo. When this was all over he was going to have a word with those no good kids.

During the first week of traveling with Ace, Sabo and Makino, Shanks told Ace that he was once a group member of Gold D. Roger`s pirate crew. Ace wasn’t mad as Shanks thought he would be. Instead Ace had just laughed and said, _“Luffy will be a better pirate King then my father ever was.”_ Shanks couldn`t help but agree with him on that. Roger had abandoned his family to sail the seas back when Rouge was pregnant with Ace. In Shanks`s opinion Roger should have faked his death and should have spent the rest of his life with Rouge and Ace, not get captured by Marines and be executed. Leaving Rouge to die in childbirth soon after Ace was born. Yeah, Luffy would make a better pirate King then Gold D Roger ever was, or ever will be. Luffy would outshine the past pirate King for sure.

* * *

In the two weeks that followed for Luffy, he spent every single moment of time with every single crewmate. He was either playing with Usopp and Chopper, talking or chatting with Franky, Zoro, and Nami. Reading books with Robin. Listening to Brook as the immortal skeleton played music. Along with the eating food and being kicked out the kitchen multiple times by Sanji.

Luffy liked being on the ship that was the Going Merry. Although during the two weeks he had been with them, he had grown homesick. Luffy missed the mountain bandits and Dadan`s constant yelling. Missed Makino’s food and her sweet nature. Shanks and the red-haired Pirates, but most of all he missed Ace and Sabo. He wondered how his brothers were doing. He wished he hadn’t let those bullies have said get to him. He missed everyone back home so badly he would do anything to see them again.

* * *

The straw-hat Pirates had said that if Luffy ever needed to talk they`d be here for him, so Luffy decided to tell them everything.

“Guys, can I talk to you all for a minute?” Luffy asked that evening as they were sitting down for dinner.

“Of course,” they all replied at once.

So, Luffy told everything, about what the bullies had said to him, to running away from home, explaining why they found in the ocean on a raft in the state he was in.

“Luffy bro, you know it’s not true right?” Franky asked when Luffy was done explaining everything in.

“Yeah,” Nami added in, “You can be anything you want to be.”

Yeah, just because you’re a devil fruit user, doesn’t mean you can’t be the king of the Pirates. Usopp said.

“I’ll make sure those kids never pick on you again.” Robin said with determination.

“Nobody gets to make devil fruit users feel bad about themselves and gets away with it.” Said Sanji.

“We are with you all the way Luffy.” Brook said.

“We all are beside you whenever you need us.” Said Zoro confidently.

Luffy chuckled as was brought into a giant group hug by everyone.

“Thanks guys,” Luffy said. Now all they would have to do was plot a course back to Dawn Island. They then heard the sounds of a coming on ship and went outside to investigate. Luffy`s eyes whined in amazement, it was Shanks`s ship.

“Guys, I’m over here guys!” Luffy called out trying to catch someone’s attention on the ship. With the help from the others they caught the attention of not only Shanks and Makino, but Ace and Sabo as well.

“Luffy!” Sabo and Ace called out as the ship got closer to the Going Merry, when they were close enough Ace and Sabo jumped on to the Going Merry and tackled Luffy in a giant hug

“Have you been here this been here this whole time?”  Ace  and Sabo asked.

Luffy nodded. 

Shanks and Makino hugged Luffy next, after Ace and Sabo were done.

“Luffy, do you know how worried we all were about you?” Shanks and Makino at the same time. “Don’t ever scare us like that again.”

“Sorry.” Luffy said guiltily.

“Don’t be.” Shanks said “it’s not your fault.” Makino nodded in agreement.

Yeah, though next time you do this. Take us with you. Ace and Sabo said.

“Of course I will.” Luffy said happily.

“Well,” Zoro said, “Now that‘s over with let’s go back to where Luffy lives and teach those bullies what happens when you say that a person’s dream is a fantasy.”

“Yeah!!!” everyone yelled in agreement.

The ride back to Dawn Island was a fast one indeed. On the way back Ace and Sabo thanked the pirate crew for looking after Luffy.

“No problem”. They all said at once. “He is fun to have around.”

Everyone on the going Merry and the red-haired pirate ship were happy that all of them were going to be able to teach those bullies a lesson on what happens when you tell somebody that  their dream is too far out of reach.

When they go back to Dawn Island Luffy was greeted by  hugs from all the mountain bandits. Then the straw hat and red- haired Pirates went off to teach those bullies a lesson about telling somebody their dream was a fantasy. While Ace, Sabo, Shanks, and Makino stayed with Luffy, and the mountain bandits in the end, things worked out for the best.

 The bullies never bothered Luffy again and the straw hat and Shanks`s pirate crew stayed on Dawn Island with Luffy until Luffy left with the straw hat Pirates at 17 only this time Ace and Sabo went along with them. And together they protected the special dreams of any people they could find. They would protect people with special dreams, no matter what others said to them. And as for Luffy he did outshine Gold D Roger when he became the king of the Pirates and found the one piece.


End file.
